Sacrificial Lamb
by RavenclawGirl29
Summary: The war is lost. The Queen is dead. Only Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto remain in the ravages of the Silver Millennium. Only one thing is left to do. But in order to fulfill their duty, they have to sacrifice one more young life. The life of a child they all love. One-Shot


Uranus was growing war weary. She had failed to protect her home. She had failed to protect the outer solar system. Now, news reached them that Princess Serenity had taken her own life. Uranus fell upon her knees and wept. Was this all for nothing? Was there nothing they could save? Arms wrapped around her, pulling her into a warm embrace. She smelt the subtle aroma of salt and ocean water that she recognized as Neptune's scent. She buried herself in her companion's arms. Neptune was probably the only person who could comfort Uranus right now. The two girls had grown up together. Princesses of neighboring planets, Princess Titania and Princess Salacia had spent most of their childhoods visiting each others' homes. When Triton Castle was attacked and the King and Queen killed, Salacia had to awaken as Sailor Neptune to take her place as a guardian. Only weeks later, Miranda Castle was destroyed as well, leaving Titania as the Guardian of Uranus. Everyday since then, the two had fought together, becoming more than just partners or friends. There bond was unexplainable, even to them. Now they needed each others' comfort.

"We lost this war." A solemn voice pulled both of them from their grieving.

"Pluto..." Neptune said, standing to face the older guardian. "We haven't seen you since the Battle of Callisto. We thought you died..."

Pluto shook her head somberly, "I'm alive, everyone else is dead."

"What?" asked Uranus.

"Everyone's dead." Repeated Pluto, her face betraying very little emotion. As if she was too exhausted to even feel pain anymore. "It's not just Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion. King Apollo, Lord Sol, Sailors Venus, Mars, Mercury, and Jupiter..."

Uranus's mind desperately worked to process the information. The Inner Guardians dead? The king? "What about the Distant Guardians?" She asked desperately, "Sedna, Eris, Haumau, Makemake..."

"All dead."

Horror settled over Uranus and Neptune. Neptune swallowed a lump in her throat, "What of the Queen?" She asked, almost afraid to know the answer.

"Even the Queen lay dying when I left. We've lost. The Silver Millennium has fallen."

"That's not possible." Protest Uranus.

"But it's true." Pluto said, "Earth is the only planet left with a hope of recovering. The war took it's toll there, but if left alone, they'll be able to rebuild. Every other planet is either dead or dying."

Uranus couldn't believe it. Everyone...the King and Queen...the other senshi...how was that possible? She felt herself fall to her knees. Everything they had done was in vain. Their family, their friends, their comrades...It was too much to take in. Finally she managed to say it out loud. "We're the only three senshi left..."

"There's one more." Pluto corrected, her voice cold and distant. "And you know what we have to do now."

Uranus's head snapped up. "No!"

At the same time Neptune cried, "We can't!"

"We don't have a choice." Pluto told them. "The Queen herself sent me to find you two so we could awaken her."

Neptune's eyes started to fill with tears, both her and Uranus became overwhelmed with a fierce sense of protectiveness. "Rhea is just a little girl." Neptune objected, "She's only eight years old! We've known her since she was a baby! She's been like a little sister to us since she was a baby! You can't expect us to..."

"She's Sailor Saturn." Pluto cut off. "No matter how we feel about her, she always has been and always will be Sailor Saturn, the warrior of ruins. It's our job to awaken her so she can bring an end to this massacre. If the world ever stands a chance at being reborn, then she has to end it."

"Pluto..." Uranus said, "If we awaken Sailor Saturn...If she uses her power...Rhea will die."

"We will all die." Pluto pointed out. "That's our duty."

"We know our duty." Neptune said, "But, Pluto...she's _eight years old._"

"Plenty of children a lot younger than eight have died in this war." Pluto told them, "And a lot more will die because of what we're about to do. But if we do nothing everyone will die. The entire solar system will be destroyed with no hope of rebirth."

Uranus clenched her fists, tears fell onto her gloves. So this really was the end. There was no hope. "Damn it!" She shouted, punching the ground. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" She struck the ground again and again until spots of red started to bloom on the white fabric of her gloves.

"Uranus, stop..." Pleaded Neptune. But she didn't. She couldn't. Not even when she felt her knuckles break could she stop. She kept punching the hard icy ground until her anger finally subsided to bitter acceptance.

Finally Uranus stood, her hands were beaten bloody but she was able to maintain her composure now. "Alright, then." She said hollowly. "Lets go."

The others silently nodded. Neptune reached out as if trying to take Uranus's hand, but Uranus pulled away. She knew her friend's natural reaction was to try to tend to the injuries, but that didn't matter anymore. They would all be dead soon anyways.

They had enough energy to teleport to Saturn. Titan Castle glittered magnificently on the outer ring. They knew it was only still beautiful on the outside, the inside was a bombed out shell of destruction. They had all been at the battle that ultimately destroyed the castle. It had been the last battle of the outer Solar System, ultimately the battle that sealed the fate of the kingdom. King Tethye and Queen Dione had fought to their deaths to try and defend their planet, but in the end it fell. Just as Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus had fallen before it, and Sedna, Haumau, Makemake, and Eris before that. After that there was no stopping the fighting from moving into the Inner Solar System.

The three girls walked through the ruins of the once beautiful castle. Soon they heard a faint rustling, Uranus spotted a tiny bit of movement from underneath a pillar, as if a small child was trying to hide under the rubble.

"You can come out." Pluto said, "It's only us."

Rhea slowly became visible as she cautiously peaked her head out from her hiding spot. Her eyes filled with tears and she ran from behind the pillar, falling straight into Uranus's arms and clinging on to the older girl for dear life.

"Where's everyone else?" Neptune asked. "Where's Daphnis? And Pandora? Where are all your nurse-maids?" After the battle on Saturn, it was decided that it would be best for Rhea to remain in her castle. Even though it was destroyed it still offered shelter and protection. Plus it seemed unlikely for the enemy to attack there again after the king and queen were killed. But the little girl wasn't left alone, most of the soldiers who survived the battle but couldn't fight anymore were hiding there as well, along with servants and civilians that had remained behind. They were charged with watching over the young princess until it would be safe to move her to the moon.

Rhea shook her head, crying into Uranus's shirt. Pluto lowered her head, "The Dark Kingdom forces attacked here again, didn't they?"

Rhea nodded. Uranus felt overwhelmed with anger. Why? Why would they come back to a castle that had already surrendered? Why would they wipe out innocent civilians and beaten soldiers for no reason?

"It's okay, Rhea." Neptune said, kneeling down to put her hand on the child's head. Uranus rocked back and forth, trying to sooth her young friend's sobbing.

"Rhea," Pluto knelt down, taking the girl's hand, "We need you to do something. Will you come with us?"

Uranus's stomach dropped. They had come here for a reason. But holding the small, terrified child made Uranus sick at the thought of what she had to do.

Rhea wiped her tears and gave a sniffle and a nod. She trusted them. She trusted them so thoroughly that Uranus could hardly bare it. She was a child. An innocent, sweet, trusting child. And yet they were going to turn her into a weapon of mass destruction. Because it was their duty. Damn duty! To hell with destiny! They couldn't do this, not to her. But what else was there to do?

They approached the prayer room. There was a raised platform in the center. A feature unique to Titan Castle. It was called the Circle of Silence. But really, that name was too kind. It was a sacrificial pyre. And Rhea was their lamb.

She resisted when Uranus tried to put her now. "No!" She said, "Mama said I'm never allowed to stand on that."

"It's okay, Rhea." Pluto replied, "There is a time for everything."

"But...mama said if I stand on that it means..." The young girls violet eyes grew wide with terror and sudden understanding. "NO!" She screamed as she worked out what was going on. "NO!"

Uranus turned her face away, biting her lip hard to stop her emotions from overtaking her. "This is the only thing left we can do." Uranus told her, her voice hoarse and strained as she forced the harsh words out. "We have no other choice, you have to."

"Please, Nee-san!" Cried Rhea, "Please, don't make me! I don't want to! I can't!" None of them could reply. Maybe it was cowardly, but they couldn't find words to soothe her. The distress on her face worsened to the point of hysteria. "PLEASE!" She shrieked.

Uranus bit her lip so hard she drew blood. She forced Rhea onto the platform and tore herself away from the frantic child's grasp. Now in the circle, Rhea couldn't escape. She couldn't move. She sobbed, desperately looking at her older friends. "Titania-nee...Salacia-nee...Melinoe...nee..." She wasn't screaming anymore, her voice was a pitiful whimper. "Please...don't make me..."

None of them could face looking at her in the eye. Their talismans resonated with each other as a concentrated light started to grow around Rhea's body. "No..." She cried, "No...please..." Finally the light exploded. The small girl screamed as her body was lifted into the air. Her torn, bloodstained dress dissolved as new clothes formed around her. The sign of Saturn glowed on her forehead. A glaive appeared beside her. The light disappeared and an entirely different girl now knelt in the circle. Not a frightened, crying child. But a somber eyed warrior. She looked up at the three women that awakened her.

"The war is over." She said. "There's nothing left but to return it to the silent void."

Next to Uranus, Neptune let out an unsteady sob. Uranus reached out for her and pulled her close. They wouldn't be separated now. Even if this was their final moments, they would be together. "I'll never let you go." Uranus promised. Neptune's fingers dug into Uranus's back as she hugged her as close as she could. Uranus put her hand on Neptune's chin and made her look up. Their lips met. The taste of salty tears and rose water. Why had they never kissed before?

"We'll all be together once more." Saturn vowed. "Death brings rebirth with it. The four of us will be reunited someday. In a happier time."

A happier time. The promise lingered in Uranus's mind. She would find Neptune again, they would be together. And Saturn, their beloved little nee-chan they couldn't save. Pluto, the best friend that's stuck with them through thick and thin. They would all be reunited. They had to be.

Uranus closed her eyes and buried her face in Neptune's hair as Saturn brought down her glaive and darkness swallowed the world.


End file.
